Firing table



3, 1937- c. R. DAVISON ET AL 2,072,052

FIRING TABLE Filed May 2, 1936 1N VENTORS.

TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRING TABLEApplication May 2, 1936, Serial No. 77,481

4 Claims.

This invention relates to stoker devices and particularly to locomotivestokers of the type wherein fuel is mechanically conveyed from thelocomotive tender to a point in the firebox below the grate and is thenelevated through a suitable conduit to a point above the fire where itis acted upon by jets of steam or other fiuid which project anddistribute the fuel evenly over the fire.

The main object of my invention is to provide a novel and useful form ofa sectional firing table for stokers of the type described, over whichthe coal or other fuel passes as it leaves the stoker and is distributedover the fire.

In stokers of the type described, a portion of the firing table projectsinto the firebox such a distance as to subject it to a high degree ofheat and this portion burns away much faster than other parts of thefiring table that do not extend as great a distance into the firebox. Itis therefore an object of. this invention to provide a firing table inwhich that portion which is more subject to deterioration may readily bedetached, removed and replaced by a new section thus obviating thenecessity of replacing the entire firing table when a portion thereofhas deteriorated to such an extent as to preclude its further use.

More specifically, an object of the invention is the provision of anovel sectional firing table that is provided with new and improvedmeans for attaching the sections together and that is cheap tomanufacture, is simple in construction and which when assembled in placeforms a compact, simple, eificient and economical unit. Other objectsand advantages of our invention will become apparent from the followingdescription when read in connection with the accompanying drawingwherein,

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section of a portion of alocomotive with a stoker applied thereto and a firing table assembledtherewith;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the firing table with parts broken away showingits application to the stoker conduit;

Fig. 3 is a view in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the adjacent end portions of twosections of the firing table shown detached.

Throughout the following description and claims, the terms "forward andrearward as applied to the portions of the firing table are usedrelative to the direction of delivery of fuel through the stoker.

On the drawing, the locomotive is designated 55 generally by the numerall0 and is provided with a boiler firebox having a backwall or rear waterleg l2 and the grates l3. The backwall |2 has a firing opening I4therethrough above the cab deck I5. Fuel is conveyed from the locomotivetender (not shown) to the locomotive I0 through a conduit l6 whichhouses a portion of the screw conveyor system H. A conduit I8 isuniversally connected to the forward end of the conduit I6 andterminates in an upwardly curving elbow l9 which merges into thestraight tubular conduit or riser conduit 20. The straight tubularconduit 20 terminates in a D-shaped mouth 2| or fuel delivery openingabove the level of the fire in the firebox Partially surrounding thestraight tubular conduit 20 is a protecting grate 22 shielding theconduit 20 from the direct heat of the fire in the firebox Surmountingand lightly fitting'the conduit 20 and resting at its inner edge on lugs23 projecting laterally from the external wall of. the conduit 20, is ametal plate or firing table 24. The top 25 of the table 24 is smooth andpreferably fiat, as illustrated, and is in substantially the same planewith the upper marginal edge of the mouth portion 2|, permitting fuel topass freely thereover.

The table 24 is composed of a plurality of sections, a substantiallyU-shaped section 26 constituting the forward portion of the table andpreferably a pair of sections 21 and 28 constitut-.

ing the rearward portion of the table. The sections 21 and 28 arepreferably, though not necessarily, formed symmetrically and obviouslycould also be joined to form an integral unit.

The ends of the U-shaped section 26 are each recessed in the upperportion thereof as indicated at 29 and 30, leaving projections 3| and32, respectively. The projections 3| and 32 are provided with theopenings 33 and 34, respectively,

extending vertically therein. The ends of. the

sections 21 and 28 adjacent the recessed ends of the U-shaped section 26are each recessed in the lower portion thereof as indicated at 35 and 36leaving projections 31 and 38, respectively. The projections 31 and 38are provided on their under sides with the depending lugs 39 and 40,respectively.

The recesses and projections, and the openings and lugs are so related.that when assembled, the projections 31 and 38 are received in therecesses 29 and 30, respectively, and the projections 3| and 32 arereceived in the recesses 35 and 36, respectively, to provide the top ofthe table with a level continuous surface broken only by the matingedges of the sections 26, 21 and 28, and

the lugs 39 and 40 are received in the openings 33 and 34 to preventrelative fore and aft and lateral movement between the sections.

The sections 26, 21 and 28 when assembled are seated on the conduit 20by engagement of the lugs 23 with that portion of the under side of thetable 24 adjacent the inner marginal edge thereof. The sections 21 and28 are provided with the openings 4| and 42, respectively, arranged toreceive bolts 43 and 44, respectively, for securely attaching thesections 21 and 28 to the conduit 20. Thus, when the firing table isassembled and bolted to the conduit 20, the sections 26, 21 and 28forming the table are securely locked together and movement relative toeach other and relative to the conduit 20 is prevented.

The table 24 is supported a slight distance above the top of the grate22, providing a space as shown at 45 to permit relative movement betweenthe parts due to uneven expansion and contraction between the partscaused by the ex treme variations in temperature.

The sections 21 :and' 28 of the firing table may be cored as at 46 inorder to reduce the weight of the table and to reduce the cost ofconstruction. The section 26, since it extends farther into the fireboxand consequently subject to more rapid deterioration, is preferably ofsolid metal.

A recess 41 is formed in the wall of the conduit 20 adjacent its mouth2| and is arranged to receive a pressure fluid jet distributor 48arranged to receive steam or other fluid under pressure through thepipes 50 and having a plurality of jet openings 5| through which thefluid under pressure is discharged across the mouth of the conduit 20and over the firing table 24.

The firing table, in stokers of the type described, since it is whollywithin the firebox is necessarily subjected to an intense heat and'intime deteriorates to such an extent as to require replacement. In thepresent arrangement there is provided a three piece firing table, whichis readily and conveniently assembled, all parts being rigidly securedin place in a practical and simple manner, and in which one part may bereplaced as deterioration occurs without the expense of replacing theentire firing table.

We claim:

1. A U-shaped firing table for stokers, said table being formed in aplurality of sections, the curved portion of said U-shaped table formingone section and the straight portions of the U- shaped table forming theother sections, the opposite ends of said curved section each having ahorizontal recess in; the upper side thereof leaving a projection andeach of said straight sections having formed at its end adjacent arespective end of said curved section a horizontal recess in the lowerside thereof leaving a projection, said recesses and projections beinginterfitted, the projections at the adjacent ends of said curved sectionand said straight sections being arranged in overlapping relation, oneprojection at each of the adjacent ends of a straight section and thecurved section having a vertically extending lug formed therewith andthe other projection at each of the adjacent ends of a straight sectionand the curved section having a vertically extending opening thereinreceiving said lug for securing the sections of said table together.

2. In combination with a firebox, a conduit for delivering fuel to saidfirebox comprising an upwardly extending portion terminating in a fueldelivery opening, ledge-like means extending outwardly from saidupwardly extending conduit portion subjacentthe delivery end thereof, afiring table having a fiat top face, said table being seated on saidledge-like means and fitting closely against the delivery end of saidupwardly extending conduit portion, said firing table comprising asubstantially U-shaped forward portion and a rearward portion incontacting end to end relation, said forward portion being provided witha horizontal recess in the upper side of an end thereof leaving aprojection and said rearward portion being provided with a horizontalrecess in the lower side of the end thereof adjacent an end of saidU-shaped portion leaving a projection, the recess in said U-shapedportion receiving the projection left by the recess in said rearwardportion and the recess in said rearward portion receiving the projectionleft by the recess in said U-shaped portion, said second namedprojection having a depending lug formed therewith and said first namedprojection having a vertically extending opening therein receiving saiddepending lug for preventing relative longitudinal and lateral movementbetween said portions, and means for rigidly securing said rearwardportion to said upwardly extending conduit portion for securing saidU-shaped portion against movement with respect to said conduit portion.

3. As an article of manufacture, a forward section of a firing table forstokers, said section having a fiat top surface and being substantiallyU-shaped in section parallel to said top surface, said section beingprovided with a horizontal recess in the upper side of each of its endportions leaving a projection at each end portion, each of saidprojections having a vertically extending opening therein.

4. As an article of manufacture, a section of a sectional firing tablefor stokers, said section having a fiat top face and being substantiallyspandrel shaped in section parallel to said top face, said section beingprovided with a horizontal recess in the lower side of one end thereofleaving a projection at said end, and a lug formed with and dependingfrom said projection, said lug being indented from the marginal edgesdefining said projection.

CHARLES R. DAVISON. ELMER F. SEIBEL.

